Clothes-clamp



iUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. TOWERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTHES-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,977, dated November 21, 1854.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. TOWERS, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Clamp for Holding Clothes on Lines when being Dried and at other Times, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making` part of this specification.

Figure l, is a side elevation of the improved clamp. Fig. 2, is an end view of ditto. Fig. 3, is an end view oit' a modication of ditto. Fig. 4f, a side elevation of a clamp cut from a solid block of wood or other material.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention and improvement consists in securing clothes on lines by clamping them between the upper surface of the line, and the curved or V shaped grooves in the extremities of a button or clamp, said .extremities being pressed upon the same by the tension of the line, produced by the weight of the clothes acting upon the center of the button or clamp.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and manner in which it operates.

The clamp consists of a curved or angular piece of wood or other material, A, bent, cut or otherwise prepared to the form represented, in such a manner as to cause its ends to curve or incline from each other, at an angle of about 2O degrees, and its center part to be situated about one inch above the extremities when the clamp or button is placed in its proper horizontal position. The ends of the clamp are tapered, so as to make the lower surface horizontal, and this horizontal part is sawed or gouged so as to form a V shaped or curved groove, extending toward the center part, for causing the ends to embrace the line or clothes suspended upon the same. Midway between the ends, and on the lower curved or angular part of the clamp, is secured a small block B, having an opening in its center extending lengthwise with the clamp, and so situated in relation to the grooves in the ends of the clamp, as to cause its lower portion to be directly on a line with apex of the V shaped or curved grooves at the ends.

The clamps or buttons, formed in the manner described, are strung upon the line before it is secured in position, by inserting the same through the openings in the blocks B, and are so arranged on the line as to bring one of them between each two pieces of clothes, and upon their grooved ends being brought upon said pieces, the tension of the line drawing upon the block B, through which it passesand by which it is brought out of a straight line as represented in Figs. l, and 4, will cause said grooved ends to press or impinge the clothes upon the line with the required degree of force to prevent them being blown or otherwise removed from the line-the force eX- erted upon them being proportionate with the distance the line is brought out of the line it usually forms, by passing through the opening in the center block B, and the weight of the clothes suspended upon the same.

` -Instead of fastening the perforated block B in its place by passing a pin or screw through the apex of the fangular or curved clamp or button, it may be provided with ears at its sides to embrace the clamp, through which and the main body of the clamp a pin or screw may be passed to se* cure the two securely together, and a channel may be formed in the side of the block extending into ,the opening to enable the clamp or button to be attached to and detached from the line without taking it down.

Instead of having a perforated block of wood of the form described, a strip of hickory wood or other elastic material, may be bent to the form represented in Fig. 3, so as to form a loop for the line to pass through, and secured in its place by pins or in any other convenient manner.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Securing clothes or other articles on lines, by impinging or pressing them between the line and the grooved ends of the clamp or button, having a block at its center through which the line passes out of its usual line, in the manner herein set forth.

WILLIAM H. TOWERS.

Witnesses:

HENRY SIMPSON, E. C. RUDOLPH. 

